Strong 2nd half lifts Clinton boys basketball past Morenci

The Clinton High School boys basketball team hosted the Bulldogs of Morenci in a Tri-County Conference game Friday night. The Redskins won, 61-46.

Clinton (5-0, 2-0 TCC) started the game with an 8-0 run and later led 16-10 by the end of the first quarter. Morenci's Hayze Wolf nailed a 3-pointer to close the quarter.

Morenci (0-2, 0-2) got going in the second quarter as it went on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 18 with just over four minutes to go in the half. Morenci kept it close and trailed 29-26 at the half. Daiton Lemmon had eight points in the half for the Bulldogs. Hunter Borton hit two important 3-pointers in the first half and finished the game with eight points

“Very proud of our first half,” said Morenci coach Jim Bauer. “Especially the way Clinton started the half. We were getting good shots, and at the first timeout I told the guys ‘Don’t stop doing what you’re doing’ because the first six possessions we had a good look, just didn't make them. Our screening was good, our spacing was good, our movement was good and they continued that, and we continued to get good shots and they started to fall and we closed the gap.”

Clinton has a habit of playing slow in the first half, before cranking it up in the second.

This game was no different.

“That’s what we’ve needed each and every game so far, to start playing,” said Clinton coach Mike Ruhl. “It’s dangerous. It’s something that’s going to catch up to you. Once again, we have to go back to the lab, and we got to figure out as coaches and players what we have to do to avoid that kind of slow start.”

The Redskins came out on fire in the second half, going on a 14-2 run to take a 43-28 lead half way through the third quarter. Morenci kept fighting, cutting the lead to 13 a few times, but never able to get that lead under 10 and make a game of it.

Lemmon finished the game 7-for-14 from the field and 17 points for the Bulldogs.

Clinton’s TJ Baker and Grant Clark both got to the line often in the second half, hitting a combined 10-for-15. The Redskins didn’t back down as they were able to expand the lead to 50-23 by the end the third quarter. Baker and Clark both finished the game with 14 points to help Clinton remain undefeated.

“Even though we got up 8-0, we were still struggling,” said Ruhl. “We’ve had our first-half struggles, trust me. But the second half was more like it. It’s my job as a coach and their job as competitors to play like that for four quarters.”

Wolf had six rebounds and five points for the Bulldogs. Borton added three assists for Morenci.

Clark and Ricky Miller each had 11 rebounds for the Redskins, while Baker added seven. Marco Nunzi had five assists, three blocks and scored 12 points for the Redskins. Luke Schaffner and Cullen Zimmerman each added three assists.